I don’t have enough bonsai work in the winter to keep me happy. This week, the best I’ve got is cleaning tools.

I realized just how many different items I use to do this as I worked to round everything up: sharpening stone and oil, files, brushes, sandpaper and steal wool for cleaning and removing any accumulated rust, newspapers, paper towels, old rags, and of course WD-40.

I worked on at least a dozen tools I use very regularly. Even though I try to take care of my tools year round with quick cleaning after use, they can get to looking pretty rough like this pair of scissors.

Each item was brushed off and had any rust or stubborn sappy residue removed. Blades were sharpened, and each tool was wiped down with WD-40 to protect from rust forming in the coming season. I also check the feel of each tool to see if they feel too loose. This can quickly be repaired with a couple quick whacks of the hammer to tighten the hinge.